With input from Dr Monica Vasudev

1353: Can we blame and punish anyone for 2.2 million COVID-related deaths in the world?

An editorial published in a British medical journal has stated that politicians who were not aggressive enough in their response to curb the COVID-19 pandemic should be held responsible for the deaths. The editorial states that this could be termed as "social murder." Kamran Abbasi, MD, executive editor of BMJ, writes that politicians must be held accountable by legal and electoral means. (WebMD)

1354: Drugs targeting CD20, like rituximab and obinutuzumab, have been found to be associated with severe COVID-19 in patients with lymphoma, suggest data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) COVID-19 and Cancer meeting. Among more than 100 lymphoma patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in France, those who had received B-cell-depleting therapies over the previous year had greater risk for longer hospital stays (HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.24-3.13, P=0.004) and death (HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.03-4.44, P=0.043) after adjustment for age and other factors. (Medpage Today)

1355: The FDA has issued a revision, restricting the scope of authorized use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma to a subset of hospitalized patients. The updated emergency use authorization (EUA) suggests that only high-titer convalescent plasma should be used, and for a limited patient population, which includes hospitalized patients early during the disease course and patients with impaired humoral immunity who are unable to produce an adequate endogenous antibody response. Low-titer convalescent plasma is not authorized anymore. (Medpage Today)

1356: Johnson & Johnson has sought U.S. regulators’ approval for the worlds first single-dose COVID-19 vaccine. Preliminary results from a large international study have shown that the J&J vaccine was safe and yielded robust protection against moderate to severe COVID-19. The US Food and Drug Administration is; however, asking its independent advisers to debate the data for the single-dose vaccine before it decides whether to approve a third vaccine in the U.S. The panel will meet on February 26. (medicalxpress.com)

1357: Merck & Co Inc stated on February 4 that its analysis of available data does not support the safety and efficacy of anti-parasitic drug, ivermectin, for the treatment of COVID-19. (Reuters)

1358: The gut is among the largest and most vital organs in the body. It is known to regulate immune response. Patients with COVID-19 have been reported to have poorer gut microbiome compositions in comparison with those without COVID-19.

Dysbiosis may be responsible for long-term COVID-19 symptoms. Studies have shown elderly patients and those with chronic conditions to have greater odds of having dysbiosis, which might explain the increased risk for severe disease in these patients.

COVID-19 is not merely a disease of the lungs. Around 30% to 40% patients have gut manifestations as well. Stool samples are being used to test for COVID-19 now.

Good gut bacteria can be promoted and inflammation can be reduced by eating a healthy diet that has less processed food and food additives, and more fiber. Exercise is also important. It is important to choose probiotics carefully, as all probiotics are not the same. (Medscape)

Dr KK Aggarwal

President CMAAO, HCFI and Past National President IMA